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Compare Belgium (2006) - Turks and Caicos Islands (2001)
Compare Belgium (2006) z Turks and Caicos Islands (2001)
| Belgium (2006) | Turks and Caicos Islands (2001) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | 10 provinces (French: provinces, singular - province; Dutch: provincies, singular - provincie) and 3 regions* (French: regions; Dutch: gewesten); Antwerpen, Brabant Wallon, Brussels* (Bruxelles), Flanders*, Hainaut, Liege, Limburg, Luxembourg, Namur, Oost-Vlaanderen, Vlaams-Brabant, Wallonia*, West-Vlaanderen
note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a complex division of responsibilities |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 16.7% (male 883,254/female 846,099)
15-64 years: 65.9% (male 3,450,879/female 3,389,565) 65 years and over: 17.4% (male 746,569/female 1,062,701) (2006 est.) |
0-14 years:
32.58% (male 2,996; female 2,908) 15-64 years: 63.51% (male 6,050; female 5,459) 65 years and over: 3.91% (male 316; female 393) (2001 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk | corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish |
| Airports | 43 (2006) | 8 (2000 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 25
over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 7 (2006) |
total:
4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 18
914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 16 (2006) |
total:
4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
| Area | total: 30,528 sq km
land: 30,278 sq km water: 250 sq km |
total:
430 sq km land: 430 sq km water: 0 sq km |
| Area - comparative | about the size of Maryland | 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
| Background | Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830; it was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. The country prospered in the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. Tensions between the Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French-speaking Walloons of the south have led in recent years to constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy. | The islands were part of the UK's Jamaican colony until 1962, when they assumed the status of a separate crown colony upon Jamaica's independence. The governor of The Bahamas oversaw affairs from 1965 to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the islands received a separate governor in 1973. Although independence was agreed upon for 1982, the policy was reversed and the islands are presently a British overseas territory. |
| Birth rate | 10.38 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 24.89 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: $180.4 billion
expenditures: $180.5 billion; including capital expenditures of $1.56 billion (2005 est.) |
revenues:
$47 million expenditures: $33.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997-1998 est.) |
| Capital | name: Brussels
geographic coordinates: 50 50 N, 4 20 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
Cockburn Town (on Grand Turk) |
| Climate | temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy | tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry |
| Coastline | 66.5 km | 389 km |
| Constitution | 7 February 1831; amended many times; revised 14 July 1993 to create a federal state | introduced 30 August 1976; suspended in 1986; restored and revised 5 March 1988 |
| Country name | conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium
conventional short form: Belgium local long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie local short form: Belgique/Belgie |
conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands |
| Currency | - | US dollar (USD) |
| Death rate | 10.27 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 4.47 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Debt - external | $980.1 billion (30 June 2005 est.) | $NA |
| Dependency status | - | overseas territory of the UK |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Tom C. KOROLOGOS
embassy: Regentlaan 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels mailing address: PSC 82, Box 002, APO AE 09710 telephone: [32] (2) 508-2111 FAX: [32] (2) 511-2725 |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Franciskus VAN DAELE
chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900 FAX: [1] (202) 333-3079 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York consulate(s): Atlanta |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
| Disputes - international | none | none |
| Economic aid - donor | ODA, $1.072 billion (2002) | - |
| Economic aid - recipient | - | $4.1 million (1997) |
| Economy - overview | This modern, private-enterprise economy has capitalized on its central geographic location, highly developed transport network, and diversified industrial and commercial base. Industry is concentrated mainly in the populous Flemish area in the north. With few natural resources, Belgium must import substantial quantities of raw materials and export a large volume of manufactures, making its economy unusually dependent on the state of world markets. Roughly three-quarters of its trade is with other EU countries. Public debt is nearly 100% of GDP. On the positive side, the government has succeeded in balancing its budget, and income distribution is relatively equal. Belgium began circulating the euro currency in January 2002. Economic growth in 2001-03 dropped sharply because of the global economic slowdown, with moderate recovery in 2004-05. | The Turks and Caicos economy is based on tourism, fishing, and offshore financial services. Most capital goods and food for domestic consumption are imported. The US was the leading source of tourists in 1996, accounting for more than half of the 87,000 visitors; tourist arrivals had risen to 93,000 by 1998. Major sources of government revenue include fees from offshore financial activities and customs receipts. |
| Electricity - consumption | 79.66 billion kWh (2003) | 4.6 million kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - exports | 8.3 billion kWh (2003) | 0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - imports | 14.7 billion kWh (2003) | 0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - production | 78.77 billion kWh (2003) | 5 million kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: North Sea 0 m
highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m |
lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Blue Hills 49 m |
| Environment - current issues | the environment is exposed to intense pressures from human activities: urbanization, dense transportation network, industry, extensive animal breeding and crop cultivation; air and water pollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries; uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities (now resolved) have slowed progress in tackling environmental challenges | limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants |
- |
| Ethnic groups | Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11% | black |
| Exchange rates | euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001) | the US dollar is used |
| Executive branch | chief of state: King ALBERT II (since 9 August 1993); Heir Apparent Prince PHILIPPE, son of the monarch
head of government: Prime Minister Guy VERHOFSTADT (since 13 July 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers formally appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary and constitutional; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch and then approved by parliament note: government coalition - VLD, MR, PS, SP.A-Spirit |
chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1953), represented by Governor Mervyn JONES (since 27 January 2000) head of government: Chief Minister Derek H. TAYLOR (since 31 January 1995) cabinet: Executive Council consists of three ex officio members and five appointed by the governor from among the members of the Legislative Council elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister appointed by the governor |
| Exports | 450,000 bbl/day (2001) | $4.7 million (1993) |
| Exports - commodities | machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs | lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells |
| Exports - partners | Germany 19.4%, France 17.3%, Netherlands 11.7%, UK 8.2%, US 6.4%, Italy 5.3% (2005) | US, UK |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
| Flag description | three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the design was based on the flag of France | blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the colonial shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield is yellow and contains a conch shell, lobster, and cactus |
| GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $128 million (1999 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 1%
industry: 24% services: 74.9% (2004 est.) |
agriculture:
NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
| GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $7,300 (1999 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | 1.5% (2005 est.) | 8.7% (1999 est.) |
| Geographic coordinates | 50 50 N, 4 00 E | 21 45 N, 71 35 W |
| Geography - note | crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West European capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the European Union and NATO | 30 islands (eight inhabited) |
| Heliports | 1 (2006) | - |
| Highways | - | total:
121 km paved: 24 km unpaved: 97 km (2000) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 3.2%
highest 10%: 23% (1996) |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
| Illicit drugs | growing producer of synthetic drugs; transit point for US-bound ecstasy; source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine processors; transshipment point for cocaine, heroin, hashish, and marijuana entering Western Europe; despite a strengthening of legislation, the country remains vulnerable to money laundering related to narcotics, automobiles, alcohol, and tobacco | transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe |
| Imports | 1.042 million bbl/day (2001) | $46.6 million (1993) |
| Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products | food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials |
| Imports - partners | Netherlands 17.8%, Germany 17.2%, France 11.4%, UK 6.8%, Ireland 6.5%, US 5.4% (2005) | US, UK |
| Independence | 4 October 1830 (a provisional government declares independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King Leopold I ascends to the throne) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
| Industrial production growth rate | -0.2% (2005 est.) | NA% |
| Industries | engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum | tourism, offshore financial services |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 4.62 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
18.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.8% (2005 est.) | 4% (1995) |
| International organization participation | ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC | Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 14 (2000) |
| Irrigated land | 400 sq km (2003) | NA sq km |
| Judicial branch | Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) or Cour de Cassation (in French) (judges are appointed for life by the government; candidacies have to be submitted by the High Justice Council) | Supreme Court |
| Labor force | 4.77 million (2005 est.) | 4,848 (1990 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 1.3%
industry: 24.5% services: 74.2% (2003 est.) |
about 33% in government and 20% in agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial, and other services (1997 est.) |
| Land boundaries | total: 1,385 km
border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km, Netherlands 450 km |
0 km |
| Land use | arable land: 27.42%
permanent crops: 0.69% other: 71.89% note: includes Luxembourg (2005) |
arable land:
2% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 98% (1993 est.) |
| Languages | Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French) | English (official) |
| Legal system | civil law system influenced by English constitutional theory; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations | based on laws of England and Wales, with a small number adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas |
| Legislative branch | bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate or Senaat in Dutch, Senat in French (71 seats; 40 members are directly elected by popular vote, 31 are indirectly elected; members serve four-year terms) and a Chamber of Deputies or Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers in Dutch, Chambre des Representants in French (150 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate and Chamber of Deputies - last held 18 May 2003 (next to be held no later than May 2007) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - SP.A-Spirit 15.5%, VLD 15.4%, CD & V 12.7%, PS 12.8%, MR 12.1%, VB 9.4%, CDH 5.6%; seats by party - SP.A-Spirit 7, VLD 7, CD & V 6, PS 6, MR 5, VB 5, CDH 2, other 2 (note - there are also 31 indirectly elected senators); Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - VLD 15.4%, SP.A-Spirit 14.9%, CD & V 13.3%, PS 13.0%, VB 11.6%, MR 11.4%, CDH 5.5%, Ecolo 3.1%; seats by party - VLD 25, SP.A-Spirit 23, CD & V 21, PS 25, VB 18, MR 24, CDH 8, Ecolo 4, other 2 note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a complex division of responsibilities; this reality leaves six governments each with its own legislative assembly |
unicameral Legislative Council (19 seats, of which 13 are popularly elected; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 4 March 1999 (next to be held by NA 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - PDM 52.2%, PNP 40.9%, independent 6.9%; seats by party - PDM 9, PNP 4 |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 78.77 years
male: 75.59 years female: 82.09 years (2006 est.) |
total population:
73.52 years male: 71.37 years female: 75.77 years (2001 est.) |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.) |
definition:
age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 98% male: 99% female: 98% (1970 est.) |
| Location | Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands | Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas |
| Map references | Europe | Central America and the Caribbean |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: geographic coordinates define outer limit continental shelf: median line with neighbors |
exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
| Merchant marine | total: 66 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,952,159 GRT/6,521,645 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 19, cargo 4, chemical tanker 2, container 10, liquefied gas 15, petroleum tanker 12, roll on/roll off 4 foreign-owned: 10 (Denmark 4, Greece 4, UK 2) registered in other countries: 113 (Antigua and Barbuda 4, Bahamas 13, Bermuda 4, Cyprus 1, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 6, Georgia 1, Gibraltar 2, Greece 12, Hong Kong 3, Luxembourg 9, Malta 10, Mozambique 2, Netherlands 2, Netherlands Antilles 4, Panama 11, Portugal 8, Russia 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, Singapore 12, Sweden 2) (2006) |
none (2000 est.) |
| Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
| Military branches | Belgian Armed Forces: Land, Naval, and Air Operations Commands (2005) | - |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure | $3.999 billion (2003) | - |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.3% (2003) | - |
| National holiday | 21 July (1831) ascension to the Throne of King Leopold I | Constitution Day, 30 August (1976) |
| Nationality | noun: Belgian(s)
adjective: Belgian |
noun:
none adjective: none |
| Natural hazards | flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes | frequent hurricanes |
| Natural resources | construction materials, silica sand, carbonates | spiny lobster, conch |
| Net migration rate | 1.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 13.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Pipelines | gas 1,561 km; oil 158 km; refined products 535 km (2006) | - |
| Political parties and leaders | Flemish parties: Christian Democrats and Flemish or CD & V [Jo VANDEURZEN]; Flemish Liberal Democrats or VLD [Bart SOMERS]; GROEN! (formerly AGALEV, Flemish Greens) [Vera DUA]; New Flemish Alliance or NVA [Bart DE WEVER]; Social Progressive Alternative or SP.A [Johan Vande LANOTTE]; Spirit [Geert LAMBERT] (new party now associated with SP.A); Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) or VB [Frank VANHECKE]
Francophone parties: Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Michel JAVAUX, Isabelle DURANT, Claude BROUIR]; Humanist and Democratic Center of CDH [Joelle MILQUET]; National Front or FN [Daniel FERET]; Reform Movement or MR [Didier REYNDERS]; Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO]; other minor parties |
People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Derek H. TAYLOR]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Washington MISICK]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Wendal SWANN] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | Christian, Socialist, and Liberal Trade Unions; Federation of Belgian Industries; numerous other associations representing bankers, manufacturers, middle-class artisans, and the legal and medical professions; various organizations represent the cultural interests of Flanders and Wallonia; various peace groups such as Pax Christi and groups representing immigrants | NA |
| Population | 10,379,067 (July 2006 est.) | 18,122 (July 2001 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 4% (1989 est.) | NA% |
| Population growth rate | 0.13% (2006 est.) | 3.41% (2001 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | - | Grand Turk, Providenciales |
| Radio broadcast stations | FM 79, AM 7, shortwave 1 (1998) | AM 3 (one inactive), FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998) |
| Radios | - | 8,000 (1997) |
| Railways | total: 3,521 km
standard gauge: 3,521 km 1.435-m gauge (2,927 km electrified) (2005) |
0 km |
| Religions | Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25% | Baptist 41.2%, Methodist 18.9%, Anglican 18.3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.7%, other 19.9% (1980) |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory | 18 years of age; universal |
| Telephone system | general assessment: highly developed, technologically advanced, and completely automated domestic and international telephone and telegraph facilities
domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; extensive cable network; limited microwave radio relay network international: country code - 32; submarine cables - 5; satellite earth stations - 7 (Intelsat - 3) (2005) |
general assessment:
fair cable and radiotelephone services domestic: NA international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 4.801 million (2004) | 3,000 (1994) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 9.46 million (2005) | 0 (1994) |
| Television broadcast stations | 25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997) | 0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are received; cable television is established) (1997) |
| Terrain | flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast | low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps |
| Total fertility rate | 1.64 children born/woman (2006 est.) | 3.22 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 8.4% (2005 est.) | 10% (1997 est.) |
| Waterways | 2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use) (2003) | none |
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